How did Zeus create mankind in Greek Mythology?

Answer 1

First he made people out of gold but they were too proud and wouldn't worship the gods so he killed them all and covered their remains in layers of rock. Then he made the silver people but they were so beautiful they just sat around thinking beautiful thoughts. If they ever saw their reflections they rarely moved again. He didn't need to kill these people as they died from neglecting themselves. He covered them in more rock and made the people of bronze. These were an aggressive race and once they discovered weapons and war they were never happier. Zeus didn't need to destroy these either, they did it for him. Then Zeus saw he had no materials left with which to make people that were worthy of a god so he called the titan Prometheus to come and make people out of the base materials of clay and lesser metals. After the war of the gods, the titans were bound to do the gods bidding so Prometheus had no choice so he went down to earth and began to shape people. Before the war Prometheus was a master craftsman and it showed in his work. He used clay to mould the delicate bodies and grass to cover their cold heads. Then he brought his creations to life. They looked up at him with their naive little faces and he felt a sudden tenderness. When they asked him what, when, how, where? he taught them the sciences. And when they blinked their little eyes at him and asked why? he taught them the arts- music, poetry, painting and architecture. Then when they shivered their little bodies he climbed to the top of Olympus and stole the fire of the gods from the sun god's chariot and brought it down to them. When Zeus looked down to earth he was furious to see these creations playing with his fire and he punished Prometheus by chaining him to a mountain to have his liver ripped out by hawks and then grow back again every day, until he was later freed by Herakles. To punish mankind Zeus created the first woman, Pandora and gave her a box. But that is another story.